The Northern Ward
by Lady Lilith La Belle
Summary: One-Shot Joffrey X OC fem!Martellreader


Utterly ridiculous. That's what this trip is to the young prince. Joffrey and his mother sown the entire way to the north convincing the king to not propose a marriage between him and one of the Starks. While they all had heard of the beauty that is Eddards oldest daughter, Joffrey knew he wanted more than a pretty face. His uncle has gotten lucky with the Tyrrell girl. He heard that she was so alluring that she could get any man to fall at her feet. This Sansa girl is merely a child with a pretty face. She would not survive King's Landing. Starks belong in the north and that is known by all men.

Joffrey knew not what he really wanted in his betrothed, but once his eyes set upon Lady Sansa, he knew it wasn't her. The girl was lost in a daydream. He looked at each face of the Stark house and he knew that none of them could ever captivate him. Then his eyes drifted behind the line of Starks. There stood the two wards the Starks were housing. Elila Martell and Theon Greyjoy. When it was suspected that the Martell's might try to kill my father ten years ago, this beautiful woman who stands before me was taken by my grandfather before her family could react. She was taken to the north and hasn't seen her family since. Though my mother once told me that she us sent letters from her father Oberyn Martell and her uncle Doran Martell.The letters as ordered by the king were always intercepted and read before they were ever sent thrthrough to the girl.

Looking at her now, I see the north did not tame her, it seemed to have complimented her. For only being the age of six when she was taken, she embodies her house with pride. Her dress was orange and brown but thick to keep her body warm. All of this I knew just from looking at her for a mere six seconds.The fierceness in her eyes was a bright fire. My mother's gentle touch on me shoulder had me moving along to say my hellos to the rest of the Stark family. I knew I was in for a long conversation with my mother once we settled.

Her deep brown hair and eyes held all her family's common traits and thry suited her perfectly. Her lips were full with a shade of light brown. She wore no color to her lips and her eyes were outlined with black lining. Her expression was all but pleasant as she looked upon my family. My gaze upon the young woman did not go unnoticed. When her eyes met mine, I as compelled to look away as though i had been caught grabbing a third serving of dessert by my mother. In fact, now Lady Stark and Lady Sansa were glaring at the girl. If she didn't notice, I am not sure how she could have missed it. But she held her stance strongly.

I heard my father asking to be taken to Starks to to pay his respects to his original betrothed. This did not please my mother and she subtly tried to sway him to stay with us, but we all knew that this tired act of care between my parents was unnecessary. When we finally began to disperse from the courtyard, I tried my best to no longer stare at the female ward. My mother was by my side and my guards followed suit as Lady Stark showed us to our rooms. I did not see Elila Martell again till the feast. As expected, mother lightly scolded me on the Martell girl.

"She is a ward my son. Her family hates ours and they would undoubtedly used any sort of relationship you were to form with the girl as an advantage. Her father has been trying to work with yours to get her back to Dorne. He has been trying for years since she was taken. You'd think that with all those daughters of his, he'd have forgotten about her. But not to worry Joffrey. Robert has promised not to propose a marriage between our houses. I took a few serious matters into my own hands to convince him. He was stuck on the idea of a Baratheon and Stark marrying since he was unable to marry Lyanna Stark."

The feast went on without fail. My ffather did his usual drunken ramblings and grabs at passing wenches. I held my manners, but more than half the night, my eyes were on those beautiful flaming brown eyes that looked back at me. Her were filled with disdain and hatred. She hated me and I felt the opposite of her. Again, she wore her house colors. I took a chance and asked my mother about this, seeing that the Greyjoy boy wore Stark colors and not those of his house. She simply said that her father had them made and sent to her as a piece of home. She then made a comment that the clothes should have been set on fire and returned to Dorne, but then said that being proud to wear your house colors in a place full of grey and blue was brave.

My mother may not like the girl for her house, but she respected her for her strength. Playing my part in the feast, I smiled down at the Stark children and watched my little brother and sister converse with the two youngest. When I smiled at Sansa she lit up and I turned my gaze back onto the golden beauty in the room. She ate and talked with the eldest Stark boy and the youngest Stark girl. A cloud of rage went through my mind as I saw her converse so easily with the Stark boy. I did not welcome this feeling.

As I watched Elila, I hardly noticed the eldest Stark girl make her way to my mother. I wasn't able to hear the words that were spoken, but in a matter of moments the girl was rushing back her seat and an hastily whispering with her friend. When my eyes returned to the true beauty of the room, she was rising from her seat with a plate full of hot food. I watched her retreat from the hall in her strong stature. Her departure was not unnoticed. It was only then I heard my father's words as she left the room in a heated manner.

"That Dorne bitch certainly has a nice set of tits on her! Dornish whores always have firm bodies! Which one of you lucky men have had the chance to she that bitch undressed? I bet if you took that bloody bright dress off, all her curves would stay in place and-"

"Robert!"

Eddard Stark cut my father's drunken lusty rant short and my father only laughed. I was for once glad we came to the north. It seemed that only Ned Stark could get my father to shut up. He could say things that could get others hanged if said to my father. But I was mostly glad he got him to stop talking before I lost my temper. Even my mother looked at my father with blatant hate. Lady Stark looked lost for words, her jaw was dropped to the table. The music still but everyone had listened to that remark. No one else said a word but I saw it on their faces. They were not happy with their king. I was not happy with my father.

Once everyone got back into their joyous mood, I excused myself and told my mother that I was tired. She excepted my excuse. In truth, I needed to have a word with the Martell girl. I roamed the halls and came to the courtyard where I saw her. But I also saw my uncle and the Stark bastard. A cloud came over me again and I was prepared to march out their and drag her away from them. That Stark bastard was not ugly and she stood closely to him where their shoulders almost touched. Then I heard their conversation. My uncle was speaking to the two.

"Remember bastard, never forget who you are, for the world never will. When you accept that, nothing will truly bother you anymore. And you my Lady, are no whore. Robert's drunken shouting could be heard from the gates of Winterfell. For that humiliation, I apologize on behalf of my party. I doubt anyone else would."

I did not want my imp uncle getting all the credit so I quickly approved the three.

"Don't be to sure uncle. I came to apologize in behalf of house Baratheon, my Lady. My father is known for his ramblings at feasts in King's Landing. I apologize that no one made it known to prepare for his unthoughtful words. He forgets where he is and what he is supposed to say when he is drunk."

Which is most of the time, I say to myself. Elila Martell nodded curtly to me and said nothing. I wanted to here her speak. Standing here in the cold courtyard was not what I planned on doing the rest of the evening but if it got her to have an actual conversation with me, then so be it. My uncle excusexcused himself back to the feast and Benjen Stark came to speak with the bastard. The young girl and I were alone now. She began to excuse herself and I czne uup with a quick excuse. I enjoy her presence.

"Let me escort you to your chambers, my Lady. I'm afraid that with so many drunk men wandering about it would not be wise to leave lady alone tonight."

She glanced over at me and still did nothing as she aginnodded curtly at me. I needed to hear her speak. I needed to here her voivoice before I closed m eyes for the night. We walked side by side through the halls of Winterfell. She never parted her lips th entire way. My frustration was growing and when we reached her chambers, I bid her goonight and she only nodded as she curtsied before me. I lost my temper then I blind rage,

"Did my grandfather cut your younger out as well the day he took you from Dorne? Why won't you speak? I am the crowned prince and you have nothing to say to me? Even after I apologized to you for my father's actions. I didn't have to come after you. I didn't even have to apologize. The least you can do is say thank you."

She stared ate blankly before a sly smile smile graced her lips. To my pleasure, they finally parted.

"I should be greatful your grace? I keep my mouth shut so that I do not get my head chopped from my shoulders. If I told you all the things I've wanted to say to you and your family, you'd allow See Ilane Payne do to me what he wishes and the Clegane to do what he did to my aunt and cousins to me. Do you know that the day I was taken your father had the Mountain retrieve me?"

I shook my head hearing out this llady's words. For once, my family pride did not cause me to rage and yell for treason.

"You obviously have a set opinion on my family and you do not know them, Lady Elila. Please, do tell me why?"

"Any man who sits aside and let's a mother and children be murdered- no, slaughtered in such a fashion is not going to be a good king. He made himself out to be a fool. He was loved as king first. Then he started with the whores and his constant drunken state. All respect for that man went out of every heart of each person in the Seven Kingdoms the day let your grandfather massacre my aunt and cousins. He beseeched his family name. He has made a mockery of the crown. Your father is a fat prideful man with no integrity and that is why he came here. To ask Ned Stark to be his hand so the he has an easy way out of his duties. The people may follow the crown, but there is no respect in your name. Now, Renly and Stannis, they aren't as bad, but they would be many steps above your father."

Her eyes and mine were locklocked onto each other the entire time. Hers dared me to lose my temper and call my guards to kill her. I fought this urge with little modesty. Her words rang true and I hated that. That is how I found the right words to say,

"When I am king, the entire kingdom will love me."

She laughed at this in a heavy manner,

"What reason would they have to love you? You have spent most of your life either in the Red Keep or hunting with your father. This is the first time you have ever been so far from the Capitol and you know nothing about it or the kingdoms other than what your mother has told you and what you maesters have taught you. You do not have any real knowledge of what the people want or what they really need."

She had me at a loss for words. The fire in her eyes grew at the sight of my silence. I stood before this young woman with no words to say but many thoughts in my mind. Biding her goonight, I set off to my temporary chambers just next to hers.

Sansa Stark is a child who truly knows nothing about how the world and the Capitol truly work. But this Martell girl knows if the people and can honestly speak to me without fear of consequences. I knew not of what I wanted in a woman before my family and I arrived here today , but I am figuring it out.


End file.
